Making California Small Claims Court easier!

California Small Claims Court

California Small Claims Court is a special court in California where disputes between parties are resolved in a quick and inexpensive manner. It is a special type of case filed in the civil division of a county’s superior court. Each County in California has a superior court. Small Claims cases are generally handled in the county where the plaintiff resides. The rules are simple and informal compared to a regular civil case. You may ask a lawyer for advice before you go to court, but you are generally not allowed to be represented by one. You do not need to be a United States Citizen to file or defend a small claims court case. However, each individual must be at least 18 years of age. Only cases where a party seeks monetary damage can be filed in small claims court. Injunctions or other equitable relief are not available to a party in these courts. Common examples of California small claims court cases are:

We provide all the resources you need to file or defend a small claims court action in California and even filing an appeal. Here you will find articles on all the different aspects of small claims actions including:

Can I appeal the judge’s ruling? I lost. Can I appeal? How? This article outlines the appeals process for small claims court cases. And lets you know what “trial de novo” really means.

Do I need to hire an attorney? I have a case but am not sure if I should hire an attorney. This article debunks the myths that most people have regarding attorneys and small claims court cases.

Small Claims Court for Your County

California has 58 counties and each county has its own superior court. Small claims cases are filed with the superior court of your County. In fact, a small claims court case can sometimes be filed in a number of places. Usually, the venue where the plaintiff lives is an appropriate venue for your small claims court case. Looking for information for your specific County? We have you covered:

Out-of-state Small Claims Court Information

Not from California? Don’t worry, we’ve created a separate page for your state that will help you to discover some great resources for the small claims case in your state. Some articles on our website will still be applicable to you even though your case may be filed in a different state, so feel free to check them out.

Make sure to bookmark our site as we are constantly adding new material to assist with your California Small Claims Court case.